Cyprus has ramped up the hunt on Wednesday for the Israeli yacht that set sail from Ashdod two days ago and vanished on its way to the island. Contact was severed two days ago near Paphos.

The Greek Coast Guard announced that as the weather improves, Greek Navy planes and helicopters will join the afternoon search for the missing Israeli yacht, sweeping the waters between Cyprus and Crete. At the same time, Cypriot officials indicated that wind patterns suggest the yacht may have drifted south toward Egypt's coastline, prompting searches in that direction as well. The official noted that Wednesday's search will stretch toward Israel, suggesting the skipper may have turned back due to worsening conditions.

The missing passengers include three friends from Kafr Shibli Umm al-Ghanem in northern Israel (an Arab village in the Galilee), while the fourth person, according to the yacht company, lives in the Krayot (the cluster of towns north of Haifa).

The yacht vanished roughly 90 nautical miles (167 kilometers) off Paphos on the island's southern coast. Cyprus has triggered the Nearchos protocol, redirecting passing vessels to the yacht's projected path to aid the search. The operation involves Cypriot ships and helicopters from British military installations on the island.

Cyprus port authorities described the yacht's skipper, a 41-year-old Israeli, as highly experienced with multiple prior visits to the island. A port official told local journalists he was baffled that Israeli authorities cleared the vessel to sail in such brutal weather. "During Storm Byron, we halted nearly all departures of small craft from the island," the official said.

Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed that "Israeli, Greek, and Cypriot forces are coordinating search operations. The ministry's Division for Israelis Abroad and embassies in Cyprus and Greece remain in constant contact with the families, working nonstop on the situation."

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The protest against Israeli cruise passengers is planned for Tuesday at 09:00 at Souda port near the city of Chania. This is the third protest this year against the ship, following protests held in the summer and on November 4.

The protest is being led, again, by the teachers' union ELME (the Greek teachers' federation), which will allow teachers to stop classes for three hours (09:00-12:00) to enable them to participate in the protest.

"Soldiers taking a break from killing"

In the teachers' union announcement published Monday morning in media outlets on the island, it stated, "Israel, despite the ceasefire, has not stopped bombing Gaza, killing civilians and advancing in the West Bank. The genocidal policy of the murderous state continues and will continue as long as the occupation exists. There can be no peace without justice."

According to the announcement, the cruise ship is not just transporting tourists from Israel, but "constitutes part of a systematic effort to whitewash the genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank through tourism." The announcement claimed that the ship transports soldiers "taking a break from killing" and as "tourists" walk around Greece singing songs like "Death to Arabs" and "Gaza is a cemetery."

As recalled, during the ship's previous visit to Crete on November 4, police made extensive use of tear gas against protesters and made arrests. Ship passengers were delayed for a long time on buses due to the protest. In the summer, the ship's route caused a chain of protests throughout Greece.

As mentioned, this morning's announcement called on tour guides, port workers, and food service and tourism workers in Crete "to make appropriate decisions and not cooperate, not to serve the murderers from Israel."

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Abraham, who will soon celebrate his fifth birthday, fell critically ill on October 9 and was diagnosed with the extremely rare and serious condition.

He has been hospitalized at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool since then. Doctors told the family that the child's condition is critical and expressed concern that he might not recover with the available treatment at their facility.

"The doctors tried one treatment that didn't help, and suggested we continue with chemotherapy," the mother, Andrea, explained to philenews. However, specialized hospitals exist in Israel and the United States with a proven track record of treating the disease. In Israel, this means Sheba Medical Center.

The Cypriot people opened their hearts

Andrea's parents, both nurses, decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise the funds needed to fly little Abraham to Israel and hospitalize him at Sheba Medical Center. Media outlets on the island rallied to their cause, and within several days, 180,000 euros ($198,000) were collected toward the required 300,000 euros ($330,000).

But then Andrea received a surprising phone call. "It was the warmest and most hope-filled phone call I ever received," she said. The call was from Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulidis, who informed her that the state would bear the costs of Abraham's transfer and treatment in Israel.

"There are no words to express my gratitude to the Cypriot government for this decision, and to everyone who stood by us in these difficult days," the mother wrote. "I want to say a huge thank you to every person who prayed, who donated, who shared our story, or simply sent us a word of love. Your response was amazing and gave us the strength to continue. The fundraising page we opened will be closed, and the funds collected will be used solely for Abraham's full recovery. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of you. Together we proved that humanity has no boundaries," Andrea wrote in a Facebook post.

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Several protesters sustained injuries, while others were arrested by police who fired tear gas at the demonstrators. The protest blocked buses transporting ship passengers from Souda port to the nearby city of Chania. Israeli passengers who confronted the protesters and police received citations from authorities, but no Israelis were arrested.

The protest began this morning as the ship docked at Souda port. The Greek teachers' union in Crete, ELME, announced earlier this week that it would mobilize teachers and education workers for the demonstration, even offering payment to teachers who would stop their classes to protest against the Israeli ship. The Alliance for Palestine in Crete joined the teachers' union.

As the ship docked, protesters gathered at the port entrance. Despite a heightened police presence, they managed to stop some Crown Iris passenger buses for an extended period at the port until they were forcibly dispersed. Some angry passengers confronted police, who prevented the buses from leaving the port and received citations for disturbing public order. Protesters threw stones at the buses, but no one was injured.

In the old city at the center of Chania, numerous demonstrators have arrived shouting chants against the Israelis who came from the Mano Maritime vessel. Police deployed with reinforced units in the area to prevent clashes between protesters and Israeli tourists.

This is not the first time pro-Palestinian demonstrators used violence against Crown Iris passengers: in the past, there were violent clashes when the ship docked at Agios Nikolaos port on the island, as well as in the capital Heraklion. Mano Maritime apparently preferred to dock at Souda port, which is significantly more secure as it serves as a US and British military base, however, according to passenger claims, the police failed to secure them.

The people of Syros in Greece block israelis on the Mano Maritime cruise ship: stranded, israeli passengers chant 'may your village burn' pic.twitter.com/wt0Zvb6CZf

— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) July 22, 2025

 Mano Maritime issued a statement: "The Crown Iris ship arrived this afternoon in Crete. A handful of protesters made noise in front of the ship. Mano Maritime is a private company and expects the Israeli government and Greek authorities to handle the issue. Similar incidents occurred in the past toward Israelis abroad who came to vacation on flights as well. This situation requires treatment by professional entities in the security field. Peace to all passengers."

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A survey conducted by the Greek news site News Break examined current public support in Greece for maintaining the strategic partnership with Israel. The question was phrased unambiguously: Do you agree with continuing the strategic partnership between Greece and Israel?

Seventy-seven percent answered yes, calling Israel a natural ally of Greece. Just 21% opposed the partnership, citing Israel's alleged violations of international law in Gaza. Another 2% said they had no opinion. A total of 5,616 people participated.

The results suggest that while a vocal minority on the Greek left has tried to amplify pro-Palestinian positions, sometimes with media backing, most Greeks side with the center-right government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which has championed closer ties with Israel in defense and diplomacy.

The partnership is also seen in Athens as a counterweight to Turkey, regarded by many Greeks as the country's biggest threat.

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The Greek Embassy directed Israel Hayom to government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, who declared, "The incident in Piraeus is horrific; antisemitism and every form of fascism and racism will not be accepted in Greece."

"Our nation will not permit – and this message must reach both authorities and everyone else, who generally perform excellent work – racist behaviors," Marinakis stated. "We will employ all necessary measures to ensure that in similar situations there will be protection for citizens, regardless of their origin, nationality, religion, or any other factor."

"I believe what occurred in Syros is horrific. No other words can describe it. Nevertheless, I must characterize this as a unique and isolated event, as a Greek government representative. Authorities must take every action to prevent repetition in any future instance."

Greece says NO to Israelis entering Syros: pic.twitter.com/0cjqDKgLBa

— PalMedia (@PalMediaOrg) July 22, 2025

 However, considerable numbers of Greeks on social networks expressed support for these actions.

"Regrettably, certain vocal minorities create confusion. Demonstrating or protesting about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is one matter – naturally permitted, and something about which the Greek government was first to express humanitarian and clear positions. Quite different is when democratic protest transforms into a demonstration, which, in my view, possesses fascist characteristics.

"When you target people based on their origin, nationality, or religion, you establish a fear regime. The ship captain's decision not to allow passenger disembarkation in Syros resulted from this created atmosphere of fear. Anti-racism legislation exists, and authorities must – whether police, as circumstances require, coast guard, or both – implement this law."

Did law violations occur in Syros?

"I'm not asserting illegal activities took place. Police must investigate this with the Justice Ministry regarding every real-time situation that develops. But certainly, once such circumstances arose, authorities should have enforced order somehow and guaranteed safe passenger disembarkation from every perspective."

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis sought to convey messages not only to Israel but to international tourists. "When next considering passenger and citizen security against any other considerations, security must take priority. I repeat that we support every protest and demonstration conducted within the bounds of the law. The law is explicit."

"Naturally, demonstrating is permitted and represents both human and understandable behavior. But authorities must enforce legal requirements. If citizens require relocation, they should move to appropriate demonstration locations. If arrests become necessary because behavior violates anti-racism statutes, authorities should make arrests. Police maintain absolute societal support from the overwhelming majority. They perform outstanding work – to avoid misunderstanding – in numerous challenging cases under extremely difficult conditions repeatedly."

Has tourism or Greek-Israeli relations suffered damage?

"In my assessment, no. Understandably, such events generate concerns among citizens of affected nations. Again, Greek authorities must navigate the extremely narrow line between demonstrations and actions targeting individuals, regardless of their origin or religion. The former represents democratic activity. The latter constitutes absolute fascism. This we will not permit."

Greek social media responses to the Rhodes incident included opposition to the attacks. "Turkish-origin tourists arrived in Rhodes for vacation, sought out and attacked Israeli-origin tourists? Indeed, the Greek government and police must acknowledge the seriousness of these issues. How can Greek police permit foreign citizens of Turkish origin, Arab-Muslim background, to reach Rhodes and assault other tourists simply because they are Israeli? Obviously, we learn this from Israeli media since Greek authorities apparently attempt concealment, and again – no arrests occurred."

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At 4:36 a.m. local time, one of the teens sent a message to his parents: "Answer quickly, they're chasing us." He then called them to say he had managed to flee the scene. "I jumped over some wall, I'm hiding," he said, uncertain of his friends' whereabouts at the time.

The Israeli Embassy is still looking into the incident in Rhodes and, as of now, is treating it as a criminal matter.

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This initiative, largely driven by consumer advocacy groups across the continent, is expected to win broad support when it comes up for a vote, according to analysts in Europe.

Hidden fees under fire

Over the past few years, airlines have raked in billions from "under-the-radar" charges, especially fees for carry-on bags, often known as trolley bags. The European Court of Justice already ruled in 2023 that such charges were illegal, laying the groundwork for the new legislation.

While some major carriers already allow carry-on luggage free of charge, the practice is especially widespread among low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air, where the cost of bringing a trolley bag can form a substantial portion of the total fare. These budget airlines may respond by raising ticket prices, but with fierce competition in the European aviation market, passengers are still likely to benefit overall.

More passenger rights

The new package also includes expanded protections for airline passengers. Children under 12 will be seated next to an accompanying adult free of charge. Companions of passengers with disabilities will be allowed to fly for free. Airlines will be required to compensate for damage to mobility equipment or harm to service animals. In addition, travel agencies must clearly disclose all hidden fees and commissions tied to ticket purchases.

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Israeli carriers are positioning themselves to increase flight capacity while awaiting updated directives from authorities. While Home Front Command guidelines remain unchanged for now, aviation officials indicate that maintaining the ceasefire will trigger rapid expansion of flight operations in the coming days.

Ben Gurion International Airport officials are preparing to resume full operational capacity today, with 20 evacuation flights scheduled from Larnaca to Israel on Tuesday.

Airlines from the Emirates will lead the return

Nir Mazor, deputy CEO of aviation relations, explained, "Several foreign airlines have already signaled their intention to resume immediate operations, including Romanian carriers such as Flyyo, along with Greek and Cypriot companies, enabling swift capacity increases. Given that we're entering peak tourism season, other carriers' return will likely be phased. Airlines from the Emirates will probably be the first to resume operations, with European and American carriers following.

"Considering the timing – just before July begins – we anticipate vacation schedules will shift toward September and holiday periods, particularly for travelers who missed recent vacation opportunities. Limited regular service to long-haul destinations may intensify demand for closer destinations within three hours' flight time from Israel, with Greece and Mediterranean islands expected to benefit most."

Monday saw dozens of Israelis finally returning home after 11 days of anxious waiting, uncertainty, and poor accommodations, boarding an evacuation flight from Budapest. Some had been on recreational trips that became complicated, others on vacations that transformed into ordeals, but all shared profound relief at touching Israeli ground again.

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Cyprus has reportedly struck a deal with Israel to purchase defenses capable of shooting down Turkish drones, Greek media reported.

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The sides have already finalized the deal, although haven't officially announced it, Kathimerini newspaper learned on Friday.

The Cypriot Defense Ministry has reportedly started to "implement the government's decision to purchase" the Iron Dome missile defense system, with agreements already being signed with Israel.

The media did not specify how many batteries of the system would be purchased, or when they would arrive in Cyprus. The two countries have been reportedly holding talks about the deal since early 2021.

Earlier in March, Cypriot military chief Lieutenant-General Demokritos Zervakis went on his first official visit to Israel, where he met with his counterpart, IDF Chief of staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi. Zervakis also examined Iron Dome capabilities during that trip.

"During his visit to Israel, the general will receive a briefing at the northern border and will visit an Iron Dome air-defense system battery," the IDF said in a statement.

The air defense system is designed to intercept and destroy missiles and rockets heading for populated areas. It showed a 97% success rate during the recent Operation Breaking Dawn against Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket attacks, triggering additional interest among foreign buyers.

In October 2021, Greek news reports indicated that Cyprus was in advanced negotiations with Israel to purchase Iron Dome batteries.

The Greek news agency SIGMA also reported that Cyprus would purchase four warships from France, which together with the Iron Dome will be "a comprehensive response to the Turkish threat."

The Iron Dome deal, if it materializes, could further undermine relations between Jerusalem and Ankara, which have been at loggerheads for many years stemming from geopolitical issues and Turkey's efforts, although the two countries have been aiming to repair ties.

Dean Shmuel Elmas contributed to this report.

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